moon2605

If you mod the program or change stuff you void the warranty on these things. Pretty simple. I blew up my trans due to a bad tune in my opinion. Not up to GM to bail me out. I know it has been said many times. if you want to play you have to pay. The dealer I work with informed me that a CAI would not void the warranty. If that is all I had I would try to get it in writing. If I could go back in time I would have a CAI and the better heat exchanger and tank and a note from my dealer saying that was OK. I have spent enough on mods and repairs to buy a pretty beefy C5 Z06. I have also been months without my car all total. If you want to mod then by all means mod. Just be forewarned it can be an a## whooping. With all that being said I will probably mod my car some more because I have seem to have no common sense when it comes to that need for speed.

Doug34

I am very new to this forum, BUT , I seem to smell a lot of dead horses the more I visit the web site, seems like a great forum otherwise. Very well run by excellent people, it does seem to be frequented by people that will not see the writing on the wall, time to turn in for your blanket, bottle, and along nap.

moon2605

Doug,
You are right on the dead horses. however it gives us something to talk about and raise hell with one another. Not really a bad thing. Thank goodness there are not enough new "real" issues to keep us occupied. We have to recycle some of the crap to keep it moving.

Thanks,

Kevin

RBK

Hanging on the wall at Findlay Chevrolet in Las Vegas is an AFE air induction replacement and "recommended" for a 40hp gain. I find it difficult to believe, the dealership would promote and sell a modification and then void the warranty. Best

RBK

You may want to familiarize yourselves with the Magnuson- Moss Warranty Act

Dealers cannot simply refuse repairs based on other than OEM parts, and modifications.
.
Any warrantor warranting a consumer product to a consumer by means of a written warranty must disclose, fully and conspicuously, in simple and readily understood language, the terms and conditions of the warranty to the extent required by rules of the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC has enacted regulations governing the disclosure of written consumer product warranty terms and conditions on consumer products actually costing the consumer more than $5. The Rules can be found at 16 C.F.R. Part 700.
Under the terms of the Act, ambiguous statements in a warranty are construed against the drafter of the warranty.
Likewise, service contracts must fully, clearly, and conspicuously disclose their terms and conditions in simple and readily understood language.
Warrantors cannot require that only branded parts be used with the product in order to retain the warranty.[7] This is commonly referred to as the "tie-in sales" provisions,[8] and is frequently mentioned in the context of third-party computer parts, such as memory and hard drives.
Full Warranty Requirements[edit]
Under a full warranty, in the case of a defect, malfunction, or failure to conform with the written warranty, the warrantor:
can remedy the consumer product within a reasonable time and without charge;
may not impose any limitation on the duration of any implied warranty on the product;
may not exclude or limit consequential damages for a breach of any written or implied warranty on the product, unless the exclusion or limitation conspicuously appears on the face of the warranty; and
if the product, or a component part, contains a defect or malfunction, must permit the consumer to elect either a refund or replacement without charge, after a reasonable number of repair attempts.
In addition, the warrantor may not impose any duty, other than notification, upon any consumer, as a condition of securing the repair of any consumer product that malfunctions, is defective, or does not conform to the written warranty. However, the warrantor may require consumers to return a defective item to its place of purchase for repair. Warranty Act

spearfish25

How does it just happen that after a dozen pages of discussion and over 150 pages in another thread, some guy strolls in and acts like no one knows the MM warranty act? Dude, that legislation is useless when you're standing at the service counter with a broken car and the service manager telling you your warranty is voided.

ZenicaPA

Some people don't grasp that a law isn't the end all solution and it is up to the injured party to seek recompense through litigation. Everyone here assumes that GM doesn't have R&D findings to support the assertion that the catch can could have been the cause of the failure. If they do, they are within their right and do not have to furnish or provide its R&D without a compulsory reason, they only have to notify the consumer that the warranty is voided and that it is linked to the catch can.

Snorman

Then go ahead and put one on your car.
Take it out and track it, melt the engine, leave the "AFE air induction replacement" on the car and take it in for an engine warranty replacement. Let us know how that works out for you after a GM field tech inspects the car if you're so confident and find it "difficult to believe" the dealership would sell them.
Good luck.
S.

spearfish25

Catch cans are far from novel. It's not like GM did all their R&D and skipped the chapter on PCV and catch cans. And if they were critical to engine operation or preservation, the cans would be included likely in a user friendly way of drainage into the sump or a dash light indicating a full can requiring drainage. Diesel engines have urea tanks that require filling and the new M4 GTS has a water injection system that requires owner intervention. So again, if these catch cans were so mission critical they'd be incorporated. Only the vendors who depend on sales push these cans like they're the panacea for your beloved possession.

AllFlash

" You may want to familiarize yourselves with the Magnuson- Moss Warranty Act "

So I am curious. How many people have ever used this and been successful? It is such a party line, and inefficient threat against a dealer that, unless you really have the bucks and lawyer behind you, there really is no meat. If we believe that any court cannot identify with a boosted engine affecting all parts of the motor and powertrain in general, something is just wrong.

I laugh whenever I read yet another MM comment because there are worlds between reading something on paper and have it work in your favor, only briefly considering that the cost of letting your car sit while you take them to court...or paying for it which then won't be reimbursed by that dealer, considering whether the cost of the fight exceeds the repair, lawyers, court time and so on.

In reality, your really ONLY option in such a case is arbitration (which I have done twice with GM by the way) and have an independent decision made as to whether you have any case whatsoever.

C8Jake

highly informative thread...just ordered a catch can

2019 ZR1

Bottom line is if your worried about keeping a warranty then don't mod your car. Me buddy is world class Chevy tech and told me straight up that GM is really cracking down on people modding there vehicles.

Chemdawg99

Someone who understands the law.

redzone

The dealer doesn't have a say in what will/won't void your powertrain warranty, GM does. And if you think they don't care that your A/F ratio is changed, along with an added pound or so of boost, go ahead and put one on your car.

RBK

I don't "stroll" well. You act like a man who carries any empty gun. What did you find out from those "150 pages"?

Do you expect an "employee" to stick his neck our, or an adversary giving you what you want? Make sure you speak with the "owner" and if unsuccessful, decide how much it is worth to you to go further. My next step would be one of my attorney's writing a courteous and factual letter. After that, whatever I would do, would depend on the "cost/benefit". Best

RBK

I always get a kick out of this forum. I was just pointing out what the dealer is doing and it seems illogical they could/would publicly promote a product that they could then turn around and say was responsible for a warranty violation. Relax, its a long haul. Best

RBK

I will make one final post on this topic since clearly , absent case law to review, this will continue to go in circles.

Personally, when I modify my car I expect to void the warranty. That is just me. I have written to try to help those who feel treated unfairly.


In a Consumer Alert issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the agency confirmed that “The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void your warranty or deny coverage under the warranty SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU USED AN AFTEREMARKET PART

Best

Snorman

The FTC states that aftermarket or recycled parts can be used for warranty repair and routine maintenance.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/article...ne-maintenance

Neither the FTC, nor the MMA provide for using an aftermarket "article or service" to make changes to the configuration of the vehicle as it was delivered from the factory. If the vehicle is altered or reconfigured from its factory specification, then warranty coverage related to any associated failure is at risk. MMA forbids manufacturers from requiring that a specific brand of part be used for warranty work to maintain the vehicle's warranty. That's it.
S.

davepl

Doesn't the MMA allow you to use any suitable REPLACEMENT part? Like air cleaner elements? Adding a catch can isn't selecting a replacement part, it's redesigning the way GM intended the system to work.

As for the dealer selling mods, its up to the dealer (unless and until an area rep gets involved) to decide if its warrantied, so of course they're going to have GM warranty a part THEY sold you.

Is it hypocritical? Unless they have some reason to believe theirs is better than the alternatives, you bet.

Busa Dave

Well not exactly--the modification has to directly be the cause or contributed to the failure of the warrantied part. You are looking at a specific topic regarding the MMA.